Nix Hydration Biosensor In Depth Review

Article by Mike Postaski

Nix Hydration Biosensor

Introduction

I acquired the Nix Hydration Biosensor early this yr – having by no means heard of the product. Promo supplies on the time talked about Zdeno Chara utilizing the product efficiently for his new interest of marathon working. As an enormous hockey fan, this was eye-catching simply from a marketability perspective. Chara is one thing like 7 ft tall (on skates?) – I consider the tallest hockey participant ever to play within the NHL.

Hockey digression apart, I used to be additionally unaware that such (purported) know-how even existed – that’s, analyzing/measuring sweat fee throughout train. I’ve been on considerably of a journey, particularly over the previous a number of years (as most ultrarunners additionally are typically), attempting to dial in my fueling and hydration methods. My largest breakthrough was discovering Precision Hydration merchandise a number of years ago- their impartial flavoring and give attention to the salt/sweat facet of hydration has been a sport changer for me.

You’ve in all probability seen their merchandise throughout – they’ve actually grown lots, even within the big-time biking world. Prime cyclists bear laboratory sweat-testing to find out the vary of merchandise (i.e. electrolyte/sodium ranges) that will work finest for them. I”ve lengthy wished to go to a lab for one in every of these assessments, however they don’t have any testing websites close to me, and I haven’t been capable of coordinate one thing in one other metropolis.

So in my head, I used to be questioning – might the Nix Biosensor be a substitute on some stage for this sort of sweat testing? IF I might get a considerably correct studying of sweat quantity and composition on the run – wouldn’t that be just about the perfect check situation? Lab testing is nice and all, however after all lab situations can’t essentially replicate the myriad of situations you face out in the true world. So sure, the concept is extraordinarily intriguing.. The execution…

The way it works

Mike P: The Nix Biosensor itself is made up of two elements – the sensor itself, and a non-reusable adhesive patch which you keep on with your higher arm. First you stick the patch in your arm, then line up the sensor on the patch, twist, click on, and also you’re all set. Chances are you’ll surprise about placement of the patch, and the way that pertains to sweat readings. Don’t you sweat extra in different areas? Underarms? Different important areas? Like many different features of the sensor and this evaluation – I’m not certified to dig too deep into the “sciency” features of all the things. So remember I’m simply giving the consumer perspective right here.

Nix, by way of their proprietary knowledge evaluation, has decided a generalized correlation between your “precise” sweat fee and the sweat fee from a considerably handy location to get readings on the run – the higher arm. Like many features of this know-how, you form of must take their phrase for it, and go together with it.

So I discovered the patch itself to be unobtrusive and just about un-noticeable on the run. Sure, I do know it’s there, however it didn’t trouble me in any manner. I ran a few raceswith it, starting from 2 to 9+ hours, with no subject. The adhesive didn’t loosen in any respect, and in addition peeled off afterwards with out fuss.

There are two methods to make use of the Nix sensor for on-the-run evaluation. The first manner is to attach the sensor by way of Bluetooth to your smartphone. The Nix app then analyzes your sweat on the run, and offers notifications as to how a lot you need to re-hydrate. There are notifications to “drink X oz”, and you’ll swipe in your cellphone to point that – sure, I drank that quantity. It tracks the entire quantity of sweat misplaced, in addition to the quantity of fluid consumed on the run. The concept is to maintain considerably of a stability.

I discover this on-the-run use case to be a bit cumbersome. I don’t usually carry my cellphone anyway, for one factor, and normally I’m both listening to different issues, particularly if it’s a race situation, or conversely – attempting to pay much less consideration to issues at occasions. However after all in the course of the occasions the place you’d be utilizing the biosensor – that ought to be thought of a data-gathering session, so focus ought to be required in some sense.

Fortunately, the second situation is that you may put on the Nix sensor, accumulate the information, and analyze afterwards. Right here you eschew the on-the-run notifications and easily put on the patch on the run.

For this, you continue to must pair the sensor with the Nix app in your cellphone, then begin an exercise inside the app, then cease the exercise on the cellphone if you find yourself finished. Word- the cellphone doesn’t should be with you (you’ll be able to even go away it at residence or within the automotive – with the app’s exercise timer working).

The info is collected on the sensor in your arm, then transferred to the Nix app afterward. Take into account – the Nix knowledge is totally separate out of your recorded exercise knowledge in your watch. There is no such thing as a native knowledge integration, so you need to think about the Nix knowledge as a very separate dataset. The recorded knowledge then exhibits up the identical manner inside the Nix smartphone app as it might have in case you had carried your cellphone the whole time.

If you’re questioning about integration in your watch

Nix additionally has each a Garmin Gadget app and knowledge discipline which you’ll be able to obtain by way of the Join IQ retailer. On this manner, you’ll be able to obtain the hydration notifications instantly in your watch. BUT – the Nix sensor itself by no means instantly connects to your watch. I.e. tt is just not a paired accent in your watch. For the watch integration to work, you might want to carry your smartphone on the run – the on-the-run knowledge then flows from the sensor to your cellphone to your watch.

Sure, that is fairly a convoluted setup. However within the absence of direct watch pairing or native datafield integration, it’s one of the best they will give you. This methodology can be a non-starter for me. Maybe it might be handy to obtain the hydration notifications in your watch – however you continue to want to hold your cellphone for it to work. It simply looks like one other additional step within the course of making it extra difficult.

The Good

A Check Race

Mike P: My first “check” was an early season excessive path race – 4+ hours, 19 miles, 7,000 ft+ of vert. I went full out in the course of the race – maybe an excessive amount of so for that early within the season, and really dehydrated myself fairly a bit (based mostly on really feel). I wore the sensor in the course of the race, however began the exercise on my cellphone, and left it in my bag firstly. After the race, I finished the exercise on my cellphone.

[A snippet from the spreadsheet downloaded via the app – notice the time is 3+ hours. The race was actually a little over 2 hours, but I wasn’t able to get to my car right away to stop the activity]

Word – the information must be manually analyzed on this situation. The app will present averages based mostly on the entire exercise time – which incorporates additional time earlier than and after the race since I didn’t carry my cellphone with me. The Nix app permits you to manually export a spreadsheet with the hydration knowledge. Right here you’ll must manually analyze the information, and/or re-average all the things out as you see match.

[Another snippet where I manually edited the spreadsheet – cutting out the non-activity time. I also re-adjusted the averages. This gives me accurate data for analysis. The activity cannot be cropped within the smartphone app – that would be immensely helpful.]

Information Evaluation

In trying on the knowledge – it confirmed, no less than by my estimation, a really excessive quantity of fluids that wanted to be consumed. No manner might I presumably drink that quantity of fluids on this situation.

Was this correct? Presumably? I did get dehydrated in the course of the race. However nonetheless that’s lots. Curiously, given the elevation change in parts of the race – lengthy sustained climbs at excessive effort, lengthy descent at low (sweat) effort, and even just a few patches with very (comparatively) humid situations.

I did see variations in sweat fee over the totally different sections. Attention-grabbing. This leads me to consider that the sensor is studying comparatively precisely.

The massive query although is – relative to what? And likewise – what to make of absolutely the values offered? That’s just about what I used to be getting at earlier – you form of must take them at their phrase in case you’re trying on the precise values themselves.

[Data from a workout within the Nix app, Nix Index is based on weather conditions]

[The 27 oz “replenished” is what you enter during the run, or afterwards]

Nix additionally offers an extra breakdown of sweat knowledge past simply pure Fluid Loss. Additionally they give values for Complete Electrolyte Loss, Sodium Loss, and Sweat Composition. The Electrolyte/Sodium Loss values are damaged down into per hour values. This manner you may get a way of the quantity of sodium you need to look to soak up, unbiased of the particular quantity of fluid.

The Sweat Composition worth (based mostly on whole electrolytes – not simply sodium) can be utilized along with a offered Hydration Beverage Chart. This chart lists the electrolyte composition of many in style hydration merchandise. The concept is that you need to select a product accordingly to match the extent of electrolytes you’re dropping on the run.

Price

Let’s simply take it as a given that you simply belief the Nix knowledge and evaluation – or no less than you’ve got figured a method to correlate its knowledge to some stage of fluid consumption/composition that works for you. The price of the Biosensor itself is $129 which incorporates 4 non-reusable patches. That’s 4 individualized sweat assessments, in situations as particular as you may make them. (Refill patches are additionally offered – at the moment 4 for $25).

How a lot does a lab sweat check price? Simply a number of hundred {dollars}. Then after all the information you get there may be no less than considerably influenced by the situations contained in the lab. Clearly, on the run, within the discipline, knowledge assortment (BIG CAVEAT – if correct) could be preferable. So assuming you’re considerably comfy with the information evaluation – after the preliminary $129 outlay, $6.25 for a private sweat check is a tremendous worth.

Different Check Instances

Following that preliminary check run/race, I wore the Nix sensor for a number of longer coaching runs in the course of the peak of the new summer time months. The sweat charges that I acquired appeared to trace in accordance with the climate and energy. I acquired values that had been decrease than that preliminary check race, which confirmed (?) that these very excessive values from the race had been correct (no less than – comparatively talking). May this be an indicator or no less than affirmation that I actually should be taking in additional fluids throughout runs – particularly greater efforts like races?

[“Sweat Profile” is a composition of all of your workouts. Unfortunately, this does average in the time before and after workouts when I did not carry my phone with me. Also, I had one test run with extremely wonky data – saying I needed to drink 40+ oz per hour – in conditions that clearly were not the case. This skews my data – and I should probably delete that workout from my app]

I additionally discovered the Sweat Composition knowledge to be helpful. At a minimal, it appeared to no less than present a sanity test so far as issues I had realized or experimented with earlier than even utilizing the Nix

sensor. Sure, I appear to be a “salty” sweater, and sure, it looks like I ought to be taking in additional fluids than I’ve been up to now. I’ve been leaning into this path by way of my utilization of Precision Hydration merchandise over the previous few years. The Nix knowledge does appear to trace with my very own private testing, so so far as I’m involved – it does appear “correct” in a way.

The Unhealthy

Tech integration/bugs

That is the main subject with the Nix system. I’ve described above the check circumstances, runs, and knowledge evaluation – when all the things works. Sadly it doesn’t “simply work” more often than not. Bluetooth connectivity between the pod and the smartphone app is spotty at finest. Any sort of connection or pairing that shows a progress indicator – is totally unreliable. A proportion of no matter is happening has no bearing on the precise completion time.

The truth is, at any time when I exploit the pod, I’ve to fully “neglect” the pod by way of the app, and reconnect it as if it was the primary time. Possibly a couple of times it really reconnected, however I consider solely throughout the identical session/day. If I exploit the sensor sooner or later, then need to use it once more per week later – I would wish to fully disconnect/reconnect the pod. Very irritating.

After I adopted the method described above (capturing the information with out really carrying my smartphone) this course of was additionally extremely buggy. After stopping the exercise, the method of syncing the information from the pod would take excessively lengthy – I’m speaking 10s of minutes, generally 30+, and generally it might by no means end in any respect.

[Unfortunately – need to do this many times]

The app provides you a message when the sync fails the place you’ll be able to attempt to rescue your misplaced knowledge by way of the Assist part. This labored a few occasions for me, and a few occasions the information was fully misplaced – together with a 50 mile race the place I wore the sensor for 9 hours. Once more extremely irritating, and to not point out – a waste of a sensor patch (and $$$).

General, it simply looks like the tech integrations should not prepared for primetime. I haven’t observed any firmware updates since I acquired the pod, however maybe I must test once more. It’s undoubtedly a bummer to have the whole course of be so unreliable the vast majority of the time.

[This doesn’t even work sometimes]

As I’m typing this now, I thought of checking to see if there are any updates. I’m really attempting to attach my pod to the app, which isn’t working. I can also’t “neglect” it both – it simply returns to the earlier display screen and the pod nonetheless exhibits up ??? Possibly I’ll simply let it “relaxation” for just a few days and check out once more later???

Accuracy

When you’ve learn this far – you’ve observed that my testing and evaluate is plagued by “assumptions of accuracy”, or primarily “shopping for in” to what Nix is promoting right here. I don’t actually see any manner round this. I’m certain there could also be certified scientists which have a bone to choose with among the Nix knowledge and claims – however I’m simply not that particular person. I’m additionally not the particular person to dispute these arguments both.

When you’re in that boat (skeptical) there’s actually nothing I can declare to show the Nix knowledge is “correct” or helpful. I can solely report that it does appear to trace with my private testing exterior of the Nix system, so I’d in the end lean in direction of accepting their knowledge and claims.

Price

Just like accuracy – I’ve listed price as each “good” and “dangerous”. When you consider within the knowledge – no less than within the sense of its “relative” accuracy – then the associated fee falls into the “professional” class. When you’re a whole skeptic and see the whole setup alongside the traces of snake oil – the associated fee issue will fall into the “con” class.

Conclusion

Mike P: The concept behind the Nix biosensor may be very promising – proper up my alley the truth is as an ultrarunning knowledge geek. With the ability to check your sweat fee and maybe extra importantly sweat composition in numerous climate situations (chilly, heat, dry, humid, sizzling, and so forth.) in addition to effort situations has the potential to be a sport changer. That’s after all assuming that the information is affordable, correct, and reliable. I’ve kept away from delving into scientific concerns all through this evaluate. As a lot as that’s vital, I simply don’t see it being possible.

What I’ve discovered is that the information and knowledge offered by the Nix sensors does appear to be comparatively constant throughout testing classes. I’ve come into this testing with an bettering sense of my very own private fueling and hydration wants. Maybe that offers a sure bias, however the truth that the information considerably matches my very own testing and emotions about hydration – I take it as a superb factor.

If the Nix would have advised me that I should be ingesting much less when all indicators level to me needing to truly drink extra – then I’d be extra involved concerning the accuracy of the system. However my private Nix knowledge signifies that I ought to actually be upping my fluid intakes – even a bit greater than I’ve been over the previous season or so. I’ve been coping with cramping and dehydration points in a number of races over the previous a number of seasons. Provided that historical past/context – I do discover the Nix knowledge to be correct and actionable.

Sadly, the technical features of the setup and utilization are a HUGE draw back. If all the things between the pod and the app – connections, syncing after exercises, and so forth., labored seamlessly – it might go away me with a way more constructive expertise utilizing the product. Because it stands now, I like the information, I do assume it’s useful, however it comes with a ton of frustration to truly use the product.

Continually having to disconnect, reconnect, neglect, re-pair the pod – is extraordinarily irritating to say the least. Additionally the vagary of syncing the pod post-run, the extreme period of that course of, having to recuperate knowledge a number of occasions, even dropping exercise knowledge fully (occurred greater than as soon as) – sadly this has been a recurring a part of the Nix expertise.

Will I proceed to make use of the product? As of now, I can’t join the pod in any respect to the app, so the first step must be presumably reinstalling the app itself on my cellphone and attempting to set all the things up once more. Except for that – I’ll in all probability take the findings that I’ve already and shoot for higher execution of my hydration course of. As with something, information is one factor, execution is one other… However as for ordering extra patches for continued use, I’ll say perhaps..

The Nix Hydration Biosensor is on the market at Nix HERE

Mike Postaski at the moment focuses on lengthy mountainous ultras – anyplace from 50K as much as his favourite – 100M. 5’10”, 138 lbs, midfoot/forefoot striker – he usually averages 70 mpw (totally on trails), ramping as much as 100+ mpw throughout race buildups. A current 2:39 street marathoner, his simple working tempo ranges from 7:30 – 9:00/mi. From 2022-23 Mike has received the Standhope 100M, IMTUF 100M, and Scout Mountain 100M path ultras, profitable the Scout 50M in 2024. He additionally set a CR of 123.74M on the Pulse Endurance Runs 24H and accomplished the Boise Trails Problem on foot in 3 days 13 hours, besting the earlier file by 7 hours. Mike’s shoe preferences lean in direction of firmer, dense cushioning, and footwear with narrower profiles. He prefers additional forefoot house, particularly for lengthy ultras, and he strongly dislikes pointy toe containers.

Samples had been offered at no cost for evaluate functions. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and will earn fee on merchandise bought by way of buying hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are solely the authors’.

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